The Story of a Dog called Charlie
by aussiebabe290
Summary: AU. Oneshot. It was funny how the smallest of things, the things you never wanted, could weasel their way into your heart and stay there forever. This is the story of the dog Carbo never wanted and how he realised that he couldn't live without it.


**When a family gets a pet, the pet becomes part of the family. This is the story of the dog that Carbo never wanted, and how it worked itself into his heart. R&R!**

* * *

"Carbo!" Retta Karandonis almost shrieked, as she flung open the door to their house in excitement. Her husband came flying down the stairs, pausing only when he saw his wife.

"What the hell is that?" he demanded.

"It's like a mini Doorknob!" Ben Rafter, housemate and best friend of the couple, squealed excitedly. "Aw, it's a puppy! Who's puppy?"

The puppy, as if sensing the man's excitement, padded towards him, and Ben knelt down, scratching behind his ears.

"Whose dog is that?" Carbo asked warily.

"I got us a dog!" Retta said brightly.

"No, no. no no no no no". Carbo shook his head. "We went through this once; we are not getting a dog".

"We have never gone through this before!" she protested.

"Yes we have. Doorknob".

"We can call him Doorknob Junior!" Ben cooed. "Aw, little Doorknob Junior… no, wait. We should call him Charlie!"

"Yes!" Retta hollered enthusiastically. "Charlie is such a good name for a dog!"

"No!" Carbo stomped his foot, reminiscent of a small child. "We are not keeping this dog! It'll be exactly like Doorknob, Ben. You'll get bored and ignore it, and who's going to end up looking after it? Carbo. Carbo's going to have to look after the dog, and Carbo doesn't want that".

"Carbo loves talking in third person", Nathan said, coming down the stairs. "What's all the yelling about- and why is there a dog in the hallway?"

"It's Charlie!" Retta said brightly, kneeling down to pat him. "We got a dog, Nathan!"

"Doorknob", he chuckled, before walking.

"We are not keeping this dog!"

"But its Charlie!" Retta scooped the puppy up, bringing him closer. "He's adorable!"

"We aren't keeping the dog".

"It'll be good to have an animal in the house", Ben reasoned, still cooing. "I mean, remember how much we loved it when we had Doorknob? It'll be like having Doorknob back!"

"We aren't getting a dog".

"Please please please please please?"

It was like having two five year olds in the house- and that was coming from Carbo, whom Ben had so often referred to as the resident kid that never grew up.

But there was only so much of his wife's (and his best mate's) pouting and whining that he could handle (it turned him off the fish fingers and cheese they ate for dinner).

Before he knew it, he was the one taking a late night trip out to the pet shop (cursing the two of them the whole way, because it was their dog and they were the ones who were meant to be shopping for it) and buying a twenty kilo bag of food and a dog bed (while Retta and Ben cooed over the dog in the comfort of the house).

Upon returning to the house, he found Retta passed out on the lounge (scarily reminiscent of the great sugar high of 2010) and Ben asleep face down on the couch, while Charlie stared at the television.

"Come here, dog", Carbo said, as he plopped the dog bed in the corner. Charlie padded towards him, licking his hand before crawling into the bed, making himself comfortable.

And it was that moment that Carbo found himself falling in love with the puppy that would play such a huge part of his life.

* * *

"This is the most complicated thing I've ever attempted in my entire life", Carbo grumbled, as he ripped the cardboard of the box. "I mean, seriously. Who's idea was this?"

"I believe a car seat is kinda important to a kid", Ben said helpfully, as he assisted in slicing the plastic. "Charlie, here!" he threw a piece of the box at the dog and Charlie barked excitedly, before attacking it.

"Stop encouraging the dog", Carbo grouched.

(Although they knew he loved the dog, he wasn't going to be the one to admit that he loved the dog. He tolerated it within their company, but that was all.)

"Stop feeding the dog paper", Emma added (Ben, she had found out upon moving in, was worse than a child when it came to feeing the dog under the table).

"It's cardboard, Emma".

"Same difference, Ben".

"How's that car seat coming along, baby?" Retta said sweetly, coming out of the room with her hands resting on her eight and a half month pregnant stomach.

"Fine, sweetie". Carbo grinned, as Ben lifted the seat completely out of the box. "Oh, holy God".

After an afternoon of wrestling with the car seat, indignant shrieks and teaching the neighbourhood approximately forty new curse words (resulting in a bellowed 'NICK KARANONIS!' from Retta), the car seat was in place.

"Let's go for a drive", Carbo said, shaking his head as he got the keys. "Crazy Capris, Emma! Get in the car".

"Nathan's meeting us there!" Emma called, as she came down the stairs, walking behind Retta just in case the pregnant redhead toppled backwards (it had never happened before, but Carbo was paranoid and had passed on his worries to his housemates).

"Aw, this really is a family car now!" Ben said excitedly, as he and Emma squeezed in the backseat, Charlie leaping into the car seat. Carbo let out a shriek.

"Charlie! Get out!"

Emma cradled Charlie in her lap, as the dog looked at Carbo, wounded. Carbo tried to keep himself together, as he frowned.

"Not in the baby's seat!" he scolded.

"But its Charlie sized!" Retta said, delighted. "I don't know why we didn't do this years ago!"

"Yes, because years ago Carbo would have worked out how to connect a car seat", Ben chuckled.

"You weren't any help!" Carbo shot back, making Emma giggle.

"This dog is going to love this baby", Retta said, keeping one hand on her protruding stomach and reaching into the backseat to scratch Charlie behind the ears.

And a week later, when they were bringing home seven pound, three ounce Megan Elizabeth, Charlie sat protectively beside the car seat, looking over the newest member of their mishmash family.

* * *

"Dog!"

At first they weren't sure if she had said it. But when she looked around with her toothless grin, they knew it for sure. Emma threw her head back and laughed, as Carbo's eyes swapped between Charlie and his daughter.

"Most babies' first words are 'mum' or 'Dad'". Ben shook his head in amusement. "Not this kid. She went all out and said 'dog'. What a little legend! Seriously, my niece is probably the coolest kid I've ever met. Meggie!" he called and the little girl looked at him curiously. "Meggie, can you say Uncle Ben? Can you say Uncle Benno?"

"Dog!" she said again cheerfully, beaming at him.

Emma shook with silent laughter, as Carbo just shook his head.

"She can say 'dog' but she can't say 'Dad'. What's next, she's going to break out with the freaking dog's name?"

"Hey Meggie, can you say Charlie?"

Megan just giggled, before going back to her blocks, Charlie looking on in anticipation for when she'd throw a block across the room (it was a game that would literally keep the pair entertained for hours). "Dog!"

"It was worth a shot". Retta grinned at Carbo, before smacking a kiss to his cheek. Carbo grinned, pulling her closer for another kiss, and Ben held up his hands.

"Uh uh uh. Not here".

(Ben and Emma had made the mistake of not mentioning when they were coming home, and Emma hadn't been able to face either of them for a solid ten days. Her face would flush bright red and she'd make an excuse to leave the room, making Carbo and Retta grin sheepishly.)

* * *

"Hey sweetie, what are you doing?" Carbo wanted to know, as he came into the lounge room. Two year old Megan was sitting on the floor, her red hair framing her face, grinning.

"Hi Daddy!" she said brightly, as she held out a dog biscuit to Charlie. As the dog took it from her fingers, she popped one in her own mouth, before repeating the process. Carbo's mouth fell open, as he shrieked.

"Retta!"

"What?" Retta called from upstairs.

"Ben!"

"What's wrong?" Ben wanted to know, coming through the house. "Aw, Meggie, are you sharing with Charlie?"

"Yeah".

"She's eating dog food", Carbo said to Ben, and the latter stared at him for stating the obvious. "Dog food! And in case you missed the memo, she's not a dog!"

Ben just chuckled, as Retta snapped a photo.

"One day we're going to look back at this and laugh".

Charlie looked at Carbo, his mouth stretched almost into a smile.

"What are you laughing about, dog?"

* * *

Three week old Matthew Rafter lay in his bouncer, Charlie sitting protectively at his feet, as six month old Nicky Karandonis chewed intently on a teething ring. Three year old Megan had her eyes set on the Wiggles on the television, but Charlie's head was in her lap, as she stroked him gently.

"That dog is the best babysitter ever", Ben said in amusement, as he spread peanut butter over a piece of toast. "I mean, really, if he had thumbs we could just leave them here!"

"The kids love him", Carbo said, shaking his head in amusement. "Dog food and all".

"Look, if Nicky and Matthew don't eat dog food, I'll eat my hat", Emma said confidently.

(And eighteen months later, Nicky was found diligently sharing the bowl of dog biscuits. One for Matthew, one for himself and one for Charlie. Emma had laughed hysterically, taking photos before calling for her other housemates.)

When they did leave the three kids with a babysitter (other than Ben's parents or siblings), Charlie would hover over them like never before, never leaving their sides. He would pad between the two bedrooms once they were put to bed, before stalking downstairs to watch the teenager suspiciously.

(He was the perfect guard dog.)

* * *

Megan grabbed the leash, as they set off on their expedition. Her first day of school- and she wouldn't let them leave the house without Charlie.

"I can't believe she's going to school!" Retta dabbed at her eyes and Emma put a comforting arm around her. "I can't believe she's so excited!"

"They're either excited or screaming their lungs out, I think its best she chose this route", Ben said, as he hoisted Matthew onto his shoulders.

The school Megan was attending was a ten minute walk away, and it was an occasion no one was missing. So they set out, Charlie on a leash, to start the new chapter in the tiny redhead's life.

"Bye Uncle Benno!" Megan giggled. "Bye Aunty Emma. See you later Matthew!" she grinned at her cousin and Matthew beamed at her. "Bye bye Nick'las, I love you Mummy". She hugged her father tight. "Love you Daddy".

But the most sentimental goodbye she said was to Charlie.

"Bye bye Charlie! I'm gonna be home later and I'll tell you everything and then we can play!" she said enthusiastically, kissing the top of his head. "I'm gonna miss you Charlie!"

"She's more worried about leaving the dog than she is about leaving her favourite uncle!" Ben said, outraged and Emma chuckled, patting his chest.

"Bye Charlie!" Megan said finally.

As Megan headed into the classroom, Carbo grabbed the leash, scratching Charlie behind the ears. "It's just us for now, mutt".

And that afternoon and every school day that followed, Megan crashed through the front door, greeting Charlie before she even acknowledged her housemates' presence.

* * *

"They've abandoned me while I'm dying!" Carbo complained; his voice no more than a hoarse whisper. Julie Rafter chuckled, as she set a bowl of soup on the bedside table.

"You aren't dying, Nick", she scolded gently, and Carbo looked pathetically at his best mate's mother.

"I am, Mrs Rafter!" he insisted.

"Now, Nick, I don't want to alarm you, but I didn't see the dog when I was downstairs. Did Ben take him with them?"

"No. he's got a girlfriend". Carbo looked sadly as the ceiling, jutting out his bottom lip in a pout.

"Your dog has a girlfriend?" her hand shot to his forehead to feel how high his temperature really was.

"Yep".

"Your dog has a girlfriend?" she checked again, and Carbo just nodded.

"Yep. The mutt abandoned his dying owner for his girlfriend".

Julie tried to hold back her chuckles, as she set the spoon down next to the bowl of soup. "Alright, Nick, Ben told me to come around this afternoon again, and I will, but if you need anything, just let me know, alright?" Carbo nodded pathetically, and she ran her hand over his forehead. "Try and get some sleep, sweetheart".

"Yes Mrs Rafter". He nodded painfully, merely blinks away from sleep. She closed the door halfway, heading down the stairs, before stopping at the glass doors in the kitchen. The dog was pressed against the fence, and she could hear the barks of a different dog.

"Charlie really does have a girlfriend", she chuckled, sliding open the door. "Charlie!"

Obediently, the dog came trotting towards her and she let him inside, pointing towards the stairs. "Go and see Carbo, he needs the company".

Letting herself out, she heard the dog head towards the stairs, bounding into the room Carbo and Retta shared. he made himself comfortable on the bed, resting his head on Carbo's chest and the man broke into a small grin, scratching him behind the ears.

"Thanks, mutt".

And that was the position Ben, Emma and Retta found the pair in when they returned home from their outing, the kids in tow.

"He really does love the dog, doesn't he?" Emma grinned.

Retta snapped two photos (for future reference) before nodding. "He really does".

* * *

"I can't believe you agreed to her dating", Carbo said to Retta. "What happened about the vow we made when she was born?"

"You, Ben and Nathan made that vow, Carb, not me".

"And Jake".

"You, Ben, Nathan and Jake made that vow, Carb, not me".

"I can't believe you agreed to this without even consulting me!"

At thirteen, Megan Karandonis had been allowed to go out (not ona date, Retta had told her quickly) to the movies with a friend. Who happened to be a boy. Megan didn't see it as a date, Retta didn't see it as a date, but Carbo and Ben did. And Carbo and Ben saw red.

As did Charlie. He sensed the tension between the pair, and waited by the front door all afternoon, as Megan hurried around upstairs getting ready.

The moment they heard the knock on the door, Charlie went wild. He jumped and barked at the front door, before Matthew grabbed him, holding him tight a he opened the front door.

"Hi", Daniel said uncertainly, as Charlie growled.

"Hi, you must be Daniel!" Matthew grinned, as Charlie snapped at him. "Charlie, dude, calm down. Meg!"

"Charlie!" Megan snapped, and the dog looked wounded. "Alright, I'm going!"

"Not so fast!" Carbo strolled into the room, a huge grin on his face. "Benno! He's here! Matthew, put the dog down".

"Dad", Megan said warningly, and he grinned.

"What's the worst that can happen?" Nicky said, and Carbo nodded.

"Good boy, son. Put the dog down, Matthew".

Matthew put the dog down and Charlie barked insanely, before Emma called him over. Scratching him behind the ears, the pair watched the whole exchange.

"Hi Mr Karandonis", Daniel said uncertainly, as Carbo pumped his hand up and down.

"Everyone calls him Carbo", Megan corrected.

"Hi, Carbo?"

"Mr Karandonis is fine", Carbo growled, and Retta bit back a giggle. "Sir, even".

"Hi Mr Karandonis, sir".

"Alright, well, we're going!" Megan said brightly. As she closed the door behind her, they heard her departing words. "My family is crazy and my dog's insane. Just ignore them".

"She thinks we're crazy?" Retta was outraged, and Emma just snickered.

"It's alright, Charlie, you're not insane", Matthew crooned.

They spent the night pondering the events of Megan's date over Chinese food, before the two boys picked a movie.

"She'll be home soon", Carbo said, glancing at the clock.

"Don't worry, Uncle Carb, we'll pick something she'll really hate". Matthew grinned, as Charlie paced up and down in front of the door. "And look, the dog's on date watch!"

"How is that dog still alive, he's like a thousand years old?" Megan wanted to know, not bothering with a greeting, as she came in the door, scratching Charlie behind his ears. "Come on, Charlie".

"Hi sweetie, how was the date?" Ben wanted to know, coming into the lounge room with a huge bowl of popcorn.

"It was really good- why did Charlie bark at Daniel like that?"

"Because he thinks Daniel is a dick", Carbo said cheerfully from the other side of the lounge room, earning a whack from Retta. "Come, sit, we're watching Indiana Jones".

"Carbo!" Emma snapped, and Retta thumped him with a pillow.

"Hey, if the dog doesn't like him, then I don't like him!" Carbo defended himself.

"You don't even like the dog!" Megan defended.

"But I can agree with him!"

"This is why I think you're crazy!"

"Having kids is what made me crazy", Carbo grumbled, as Nicky started the movie. "Kids and a dog, and now perfect strangers think it's okay to date my daughter and call me 'Carbo'!"

Charlie yapped in agreement and Carbo nodded, putting a hand on the dog's head.

* * *

"Mum", Megan said seriously, her question coming out of the blue. "How old is Charlie?"

"About a million", Matthew commented from the kitchen.

"He's fifteen in people years", Retta said, after a moment's pause. "We got him the year before you were born, Meggie".

"He must set some kind of record", Ben said, his eyes widening as he came through the house. "He's like a hundred and five!"

Nicky cooed, before scooping Charlie into his arms. "You're a really old man, Charlie!"

Charlie rested his head on Nicky's thigh, seeming to sigh heavily. He wasn't as energetic as he once was, but he would always be there to greet them when they came home. it was what they liked best.

* * *

Carbo padded down the stairs in the darkness, flipping on the light when he came to the lounge room. Fumbling around for the keys, he glanced at the corner to the dog bed when he realised Charlie hadn't stirred.

From that very first day, whenever someone came downstairs in the morning, Charlie would greet them. There were special occasions where the dog was allowed upstairs to sleep on the end of a bed, but he knew where his spot was.

"Hey Charlie, what's wrong, buddy?" Carbo cooed, coming towards the sleeping dog. He froze when he realised how still the dog was laying, and how cold he was to touch. Letting out a high pitched scream (sounding very much like the old ladies in horror movies that chilled him to the bone), he shrieked for his housemates. "BENNO! RETTA! EM-MA!"

Within two seconds, Ben was down the stairs, a cricket bat over his left shoulder. "What's wrong? What is it? What happened?" he panted, sleep still visible in the corner of his eyes.

"It's Charlie!" Carbo let out a whimper, and Ben fell to the ground beside the dog, picking up his limp body.

"Oh, Charlie. Oh, buddy", Ben whispered, holding the dog close.

Emma and Retta were downstairs only moments later, Emma with a cricket bat and Retta holding a golf club (Ben didn't even question where she got the golf club from).

Megan stood in the doorway, having heard her father's shriek, holding her bear the way she had done when she was a little girl. "Uncle Ben? Charlie's dead, isn't he?"

Ben nodded wordlessly, and Retta moved to comfort the smaller redhead. Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, Retta enveloped her daughter in a hug, tears running down Megan's face.

In the hours that followed, Ben and Carbo dug a hole in the backyard as Nicky and Matthew hammered together a cross (painting 'RIP Charlie' in red paint), before donning their best black clothes. It was a funeral, Megan had reasoned, and they had to be respectful.

The mishmash family of seven stood in the backyard, looking at the spot where their beloved family pet was buried, memories of the dog rolling around in their heads.

The time that Charlie ate half of Carbo's thirtieth birthday cake (not even Julie Rafter was able to salvage it). The time Charlie jumped through the bathroom window because he heard Nicky scream (the little boy went through a phase when he was three years old where he didn't like anyone touching his hair). All the cricket games where Charlie would chase the ball and run off, leaving them stranded. The times they went swimming at the beach, Charlie venturing out further than any of them and always being the first one back to the sand.

"Charlie was a good dog", Ben said sombrely, staring down at the grave. "he was always there for us… he was part of the family. He was the best guard dog, an awesome babysitter, an amazing fielder… and part of the family".

"We should all say something about Charlie", Nicky said quietly, looking at his mother. "Mum, you start".

Retta nodded. "The moment I saw Charlie I knew it was the dog for us. He was just so energetic and calm at the same time. He was the best dog we could have ever had".

"He was the best dog we could have asked for", Emma said quietly, as Matthew leaned into her side. "He was just always there".

"He was so gentle", Matthew murmured. "He was always gentle when we were kids and he never got too rough. He was the best dog ever".

"He's older than me and I thought he'd always be there", Nicky said, blinking away tears. "I'll miss you, Charlie".

"He was my best friend", Megan said thickly, blinking away her own tears. "I love you, Charlie".

"Rest easy, Charlie", Ben said softly. "We couldn't have asked for a better buddy. You can chase all the blocks you want now. I know you loved that".

But it was Carbo's reaction that shocked them all. Tears falling hard and fast, he didn't even bother wiping them away (not even his infamous 'it's just raining on my face' excuse would wash that time).

"I'll miss you, mutt. You really were part of the family".

"You really did love Charlie, didn't you Daddy?" Megan checked, and Carbo nodded.

"I really did love you, Charlie", Carbo said quietly.

Something so small and something that he had never agreed to, had found a way into his home and into his heart, and Carbo wouldn't want it to be any other way.


End file.
